By Phil Coleman

Last updated at 12:32, Friday, 20 July 2012

Cumbrian farmers are being urged not to get involved in the series of protests being staged elsewhere in the country over cuts to the price of milk.

Earlier this month, Cumbria’s County chairman of the National Farmers Union Alan Dickinson said there was mounting anger among dairy farmers about cuts in the money they are paid.

Hundreds of farmers blockaded processing plants into the early hours of today.

They are furious about cuts of up to 4p a litre for their milk from major processors. Supporters of Farmers for Action used tractors to block a Robert Wiseman Dairy processing plant near Bridgwater, Somerset, last night, while other farmers gathered outside an Arla plant in Leicestershire and another in Leeds.

In Cumbria, which is due to be visited by farming minister Jim Paice next month, there was sympathy for the action but NFU officials have urged farmers to join co-operatives rather than protest.

Catherine Pritt, the NFU’s county representative on the Dairy Board, said: “The way forward is with farmers co-operating together, and co-operatives are already working in Cumbria, bringing profits back directly to farmers.”

Former county NFU chairman Robert Craig, who farms at Armathwaite near Carlisle, said: “I think the protestors will rapidly lose public sympathy if they carry on. The problem is it will be a short-term fix if we don’t radically alter the industry. Co-operatives are going to be absolutely essential.”

First published at 12:10, Friday, 20 July 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk